September 1, 2007 - Aurigid Meteor Shower Radio Echoes

Right side audio - 216.98 MHz USB, antenna - 6 element M2 yagi pointed at an area 60 miles above a point half way between my location and Lake Kickapoo, Texas at an elevation angle of approximately 30 degrees, with a DownEast Microwave pre-amp

Left Side Audio - 61.239 MHz USB, antenna - 2 element wire yagi pointed at the zenith, with no pre-amp

The file name indicates the date and time in UTC, calibrated with WWV (calibration verified and updated 9/3/2007).

The following MP3 format audio files are listed by time of recording in UTC. The time listed corresponds with the start of the echo. Some of the tones are echoes from either aircraft or satellites. However, the high meteor rate produced almost constant echoes on the 61.239 MHz frequency. Suggest that you use headphones to listen, or use an audio player with a balance control. Note that due to the large number of echoes produced by this meteor shower, this list represents only a few of the meteor radio echoes heard.

Note the right side audio from the 216.98 MHz receiver. Most echoes at this frequency are short duration. The echo begins as a rapidly changing doppler shifting signal that is the result of the shock wave that develops as the meteor enters the atmosphere, followed a short time later by a more stable echo produced by the ionized trail left behind by the meteor as it burns up in the Earth's atmosphere.

This is a recording of a signal produced by a meteor's shock wave. No echo was detected from the ionized trail. Perhaps the meteor burnt up too far away to reflect the signal from the 216 MHz signal source.

Note that the echo from the shockwave is heard on the left side, at 61.239 MHz, but not on the right side. However, the echo from the ionized trail can be heard on both receivers and was the longest echo recorded on the 216.979 MHz receiver.